Todd’s Take: Wishes For Peace In The World Of Indiana Athletics

It’s Christmas. Time to put away the negativity for a few days and wish peace upon those in the Indiana athletics world.

People in Indiana's student section cheer a dunk during the first half of the Indiana versus Penn State men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Christmas songs. You know ‘em. You love some of ‘em. You dislike some of ‘em, too.

I’m no different. I have a soft spot for “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” – a sort of touchstone for people my age. (I’m bending over backward to avoid using the term “Gen X,” a generational generalization I detest with a passion, but I digress.)

The lyrics to “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” are condescending and paternalistic in hindsight, but the purpose and sentiment of the song was genuine, and it represented a time for people my age (I was 13 when it was released) where the world seemed to be striving to be a better place.

And where else are you going to hear Simon Le Bon, Bono and Sting sing together on the same record?

On the other hand? As much as I like Paul McCartney, if I never heard “Wonderful Christmastime” and its world’s most annoying synths ever again, I would be a happy man.

Then there’s some songs where you can separate the lyrics from the song itself. “Let There Be Peace On Earth” falls into that category.

Despite what the internet may tell you – no, Vince Gill did not originate the song – when I’ve heard “Let There Be Peace On Earth” over the years, I’ve always been left cold. It fits into that sappy category I tend to avoid. It also seemed to be a favorite of music classes when I was in school, so I automatically think of it as being sung by a high-pitched children’s choir – not my thing.

However, I do like the message in the chorus. “Let there be peace on Earth … and let it begin with me.” Sappy or not, that’s a fine way to live.

And also a good way to create a theme for this column. The internet is filled with so much negativity, so I thought I’d give the criticism a break and try to find peace for the people in the world I populate – Indiana and Big Ten athletics.

No snark, no surprise attacks, honest wishes on a day where people should set the acrimony aside. So here goes.

• Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti – Now is not the right time with rosters being rebuilt and such, but when things slow down, I wish you the peace of a sense of accomplishment. Sit down in that recliner of yours and appreciate that you coached the greatest season in Indiana history.

• Indiana football fans – Find the recliner – real or metaphorical – of your own choice and find peace in how satisfying the ride was in 2024. The impossible became possible in 2024. It was a helluva journey, wasn’t it?

• Indiana men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson – The peace that comes from consistency. The peace that would come from a win over a ranked team. The peace that would come from winning a road game in Big Ten play. The peace that would come from anything that takes away the perception that the Hoosiers are spinning their wheels.

• Indiana men’s basketball fans – Peace in the form of a team that can demonstrate it can hang with the best of the Big Ten Conference. That’s an achievable goal given that the Big Ten doesn’t have a dominant team, but something the Hoosiers haven’t proven they can consistently provide yet. Until they can, that peace is hard to come by.

• Indiana women’s basketball coach Teri Moren – The peace that comes from good health – in every respect. The Hoosiers should be as close to full strength as they have been in nearly a month when Big Ten action resumes Saturday when Wisconsin visits.

• Indiana season ticket holders – The peace of a nice Christmas bonus. The price of success in football is quite literal, as I’m sure your bills have already told you. The days of cheap tickets and parking for football disappeared mid-season. Supporting the Hoosiers has never been harder on the bottom line.

• Indiana crazies – I just want you to have peace … period, that’s it, just peace, if only just for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The seemingly bottomless desire for a segment of fans to top themselves in the self-flagellating “we suck” or “so-and-so sucks” department is depressing, irritating and droningly repetitive. Much like the soldiers in the first year of World War I who stopped shooting at each other to meet in no man’s land to express Christmas wishes, all I ask is to give it a rest in the spirit of Christmas. Then resume fire afterward if you must.

• Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson – I wish Dolson the peace of a college athletics landscape that stabilizes in the near future. The House settlement should create some ground rules to help make this happen – assuming the settlement is approved by the courts. Dolson is well-paid to sort these matters out, but instability isn’t good for anyone.

• Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti – Same wish of peace that was expressed for Dolson, but also, the peace of having a Big Ten team crowned a football national champion in mid-January. It would be the second in a row for the league, and I’ll admit selfishness here as I just want it for the purposes of silly, tribalistic regional pride.

• Big Ten Network – The peace of some good games during basketball season. Maybe? Just a few? It’s looking as if it might take a low win total to contend in the Big Ten as no team is dominant. Mediocre league? Your mileage may vary, but then again, the Big Ten Network always grants itself the peace of spinning it to make it look good regardless. So perhaps the wish for peace is better placed with us, not them.

I wish you and your loved ones peace as well. Merry Christmas everyone!

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